Fishing Report - 12/3/05

GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS,

EVERY FISHERMAN DREAMS OF A FISHING DESTINATION WHERE THE FISH SEEM TO BITE EVERYWHERE YOU GO ON EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN THE WATER. I AM NOT SURE THAT THERE IS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT COULD LIVE UP TO THAT EXPECTATION, BUT THIS WEEK AT COIBA ISLAND, PANAMA; THE BITE WAS ON!! PESCA PANAMA WELCOMED BACK RETURNING ANGLERS SIDNEY WAUD AND JOHN "SPEEDY" METTLER ALONG WITH NEW COMERS; DAVID BELL, COLEMAN AND ERIK BURKE, HARRY LEWIS, BRAD HONEYMAN, CHUCK WAMBEKE, PAUL AND RICK WIEDEMAN, TOM DALIK AND ADAM NEIBAUR.  THIS MIXED GROUP OF ANGLERS WAS PUT TOGETHER BY GUIDE MIKE AUGAT AND INCLUDED ANGLERS FROM NEW YORK, NEW HAMPSHIRE, MONTANA, IDAHO AND CALIFORNIA.

THE WEEK STARTED SOMEWHAT SLOW, BUT HEATED UP QUICKLY! THE OFFSHORE FISHING WAS DOMINATED BY BOTH BY FLY FISHING AND POPPER FISHING! SYD AND DAVE MANAGED TO LAND SOME VERY NICE DORADO ON THE FLY AND DAVID HOOKED (AND LOST) A WAHOO ON THE FLY! NEW TO OFFSHORE FLY FISHING; RICK, HAD A SENSATIONAL CATCH, LANDING AN ESTIMATED 120LB SAIL ON THE FLY!! THE OFFSHORE ACTION ALSO INCLUDED LOTS OF ACTION ON SPINNING GEAR AND TOP-WATER LURES WITH THE GUYS LANDING SEEMINGLY UNLIMITED NUMBERS OF ULTRA AGGRESSIVE 10-30LB YELLOWFIN ON SPINNING GEAR!

INSHORE FISHING IN PANAMA THIS WEEK WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH!! PRODUCING BOTH GREAT NUMBERS AND DIVERSITY THIS GROUP HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HOW TRULY AMAZING THE INSHORE FISHING CAN BE HERE AT COIBA. WITH ALL OF THE BOATS FINDING EXCEPTIONAL FISHING, CAPTAIN MACHO ONCE AGAIN SET THE CURVE ON BIG FISH WITH HIS CREW LANDING AN ESTIMATED 80LB CUBERA ON LIVE BAIT. CAPTAIN BARTOLO AND HIS CREW; ERIK, HARRY, AND BRAD ALSO FOUND SOME GREAT FISHING LANDING UP TO 6 WAHOO IN ONE DAY, SOME LARGE CUBERA AND A ROOSTER FISH. TOM MANAGED TO LAND THE LARGEST ROOSTER OF THE WEEK AT 54 POUNDS, BUT ADAM WAS A CLOSE SECOND WITH A 45 POUNDER! TOM AND ADAM ALSO HAD SOME GREAT FISHING ON THE FIFTH DAY WITH CAPTAIN LUCHO LANDING A DORADO, 4 MONSTER CUBERA AND 2 WAHOO!

ABOARD THE PONCHERA THE INSHORE FISHING FOR THE WEEK WAS DOMINATED BY TOP-WATER FISHING AND FLY FISHING. SYD'S FAMED "PICO DE CHOLO" HOMEMADE POPPER DOMINATED THE ACTION LANDING MORE THAN A DOZEN SPECIES! SYD ALSO HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE BATTLE WITH A 50 AMBERJACK, HOOKED ON TOP-WATER!! THE BOYS ALSO FOUND THE ACTION AT THE "SECRET BEACH" TO BE OFF THE CHART!! WADING AND FLY-FISHING THE GUYS LANDED OVER A DOZEN SMALL TO MEDIUM CUBERA, JACKS, MULLET SNAPPER AND EVEN A ROOSTERFISH ON THE FLY!!

WHAT A GREAT WEEK TO BE FISHING IN PANAMA! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!

GOOD FISHING,
TRAVIS


Nice Fish!!


Shark on the PICO!!!


Nice Mahi Dave!!


Beauty and the beast!!


The coconut hunters!


Nice fish speed dog!


Now that is a Rooster!!


Sailfish that eat feathers... great fish Rick!!


Golden Jack time!


Amberjack time!!

FISHING TIP: ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING FISH OF THE WEEK WAS AN UNKNOWN; BUT PROBABLY ROOSTER FISH, WADING THE "SECRET BEACH." AS WE APPROACHED THE BEACH RICK, TOM AND MYSELF SPOT THREE VERY LARGE WAKES IN THE SHALLOWS. AFTER HOOKING AND LOOSING THE FIRST MYSTERY FISH RICK GETS LUCKY AND WITH A VIOLENT BOIL HOOKS A SECOND. THE FISH TURNS OFFSHORE AND BEGINS TO MELT LINE OFF OF THE REEL WITH MORE THAN 200 YARDS OF BACKING IN THE WATER AND A FAIRLY LIGHT DRAG, THE LINE PARTS SEPARATING THE LEADER AND FLY LINE. THIS WEEKS TIP IS LEADER CONNECTION TO FLY LINE. ALTHOUGH A SIMPLE NAIL KNOT TO THE TIP OF YOUR FLY LINE IS NORMALLY MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR FRESH WATER FISHING THIS CONNECTION IS SIMPLY TO LIGHT FOR SALTWATER APPLICATION! OUR RECOMMENDED CONNECTION IS LOOP TO LOOP, CREATING THE LOOP IN THE FLY LINE WITH EITHER A "WELDED" CONNECTION OR 2 OR MORE NAIL KNOTS SECURING THE LOOP! THIS CONNECTION MAY NOT HAVE STOPPED RICKS FISH, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE LESS WEEK POINT IN THE LINE!